bushido_man96

If I were you, I would cut the fat now. Trying to cut weight (like a lot of wrestlers do) is very unhealthy, and can lead to metabolic problems, which will hurt you later on in life. I am not saying that you are doing it wrong. I am just throwing it out there. I am sure it is probably the same as many wrestlers have heard before.

If the legs are straight, then I don't consider it a stance. When I say "stance," then I am talking about some kind of athletic position. I don't mean just standing up straight, or lying in the splits. I should have been more clear.

Very well put!

In the latest edition of Black Belt Magazine, an article by Mick Coup (Core Combatives) discussed the use of indexing in self-defense. His "indexing" looked very similar to trapping, in that you use one hand to make a contact point on the opponent's body, using it as a reference point, and then proceed to attack with the other hand. I thought that the article was sensible, and the concepts behind the "indexing" were very simple.

Congrats, Marie!!!

I feel that the term "mastery" is very ambiguous. It is hard to dictate, with no hard and fast rules binding it. I feel that learning to deal with the three ranges of combat from the beginning is the best way to address self-defense. Knowing how to take someone down is the best way to be able to defend a takedown. As for taking someone out in 3 hits, I feel that this cannot be made into a hard and fast rule, either. In the chaos of a fight, you have to take what is given to you, and nothing is guaranteed. Just becuase a striker can't take someone out in 3 hits, doesn't mean that they have not mastered their striking aspects, in my opinion.

Welcome! That sounds interesting. It reminds me of Magic, the Gathering.

I agree with what you say beyond the Wall. Between that and the dragons, everything is going to get interesting. As for the wall, I don't like the fact that Stannis is there. I just have a funny feeling about everything going on there. I think his time is almost up. As for Jon, I hope his story continues to grow, and engulf even more of the Seven Kingdoms. The Mountain is going to look different, too, I think. Samwell's story should get interesting as well.

Well done!

Sounds great. Let us know what kind of gains you make.

Are you doing all of this bulking up and training now, just to have to cut weight when wrestling starts up again?

Judo or BJJ would be styles that do not practice katas as well. You could look into some of them, and grappling styles are intense workouts as well.

It will be very difficult for many of us to be able to tell you if a place is a McDojo by looking at a website and a few pictures. The best thing you can do is visit, watch some classes, ask some questions, and then assess the place as best as you can. Hopefully, you find what you are looking for.

I hear the first part of the above quote a lot. If this is the case, then how long before the striking aspects are mastered, and one can move on? And what about Kung Fu? Is it the same with Kung Fu? The only issue that I have with this concept is this: What if you spend a few years learning to attack and defend as a striker, but then get attacked by a wrestler? You said that the style should be practiced hollisticaly, but when should that start? Is the wait really necessary?

I think from its inception, fighting itself was all-inclusive. Many of the styles that we observe today have become what they are after their use in warfare began to decrease. As, for lack of better western terms, the "bujutsu" began to be replaced by the "budo," styles individualized and picked certain things to maintain and pass down. Before this, a warrior wasn't told, "don't do that; it isn't in our style." Fighting was all-inclusive, and now, with MMA coming around, it is beginning to get back to that. Yes, I know that MMA has a rule-set, and therefore can never completely emulate a street encounter. However, not many styles in practice today can. You either add rules, and up the contact level, or you take away the rules, and decrease the contact levels. Finding a happy medium is difficult, and no one will ever decide on one. As far as the street fighters go...well, they do fight, like Martial artists do fight. When it comes down to it, on the street, whether you get beat by a street fighter or a Martial Artist, you still get beat. It doesn't really matter how you classify them or yourself.

Agreed, most often however they opt for far less technical trapping options and settle for basic versions of trapping like immobilizing the limb and using it has an anchor point for strikes etc. This has been my experience with it. In the system I work it in, we call it a "pin." We pin the limb, and then proceed to immobilize, etc.

That is awesome! Staying active is part of a healthy lifestyle, and I am suprised that more doctors don't take this viewpoint when addressing injuries.

Perhaps he thinks you may do well if you do compete, and therefore is asking you to do so. I can see why you do not want to. However, if it does not require anymore time than you already give, aside from taking the day to compete, then you may consider giving it a try. Who knows? You may enjoy it, and you might do well. One great thing about competitions is that they are great learning experiences. However, if you really fell strongly about not competing, then stand your ground, and let you instructor know your feelings.

I am sure it will be worth the wait, though. I kind of look forward to a reunion between Jaime and Tyrion. I wonder how that will go. And it appeared that perhaps Jaime had cut his ties with his sister? I also anticipate the new and improved "Mountain that Rides."

It is still going. It looks like it may end up being close to a 7 book series, with 4 of them completed. It is a great story. I recommend it.

For me, books have come in handy for getting forms down. I would get the gist of the form down in class, and then on my own, I would look to the book for reference, and then tidy it up when I got back to class.

Agreed. If you want to use a kick in this way, you have to make sure you have the space, or make the space via combination. The reason why low-level kicks work so well is because you can do them within clinching range. To kick someone in the stomach is going to have to require space, which may be hard to come by in a confrontation.

6-28-07 Alternating back leg round kicks, in uniform: 3x10 Bench dips: 10 Very isolated workouts. I just had a few minutes here and there, so I worked them in.

As much as you want to continue, you won't see different results doing the same things all the time. You need to change it up, to cause muscle confusion. You have done the same thing for so long that the muscles are adapted to it. They know what you are going to do, and how to do the lifts. Shock them by changing everything; the exercises, the number of reps and sets, all of it. Do this for 3 weeks or a month. Then get back onto your routine.

9. What are some of your training philospies? (spiritual, mental, etc.) 10. What are your training methodologies? (focus on traditional, self-defense, hands-on, etc) 11. Can I watch a class? (If they say no, don't even bother with them.)